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    Home » Easy Dinners

    Italian Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

    Last Updated: Mar 10, 2022 • By Deborah Rainford • 9 Comments • About 6 minutes to read this article.. • This post may contain affiliate links

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    Adli recipe meatballs in tomato sauce
    Adli recipe meatballs in tomato sauce
    Adli recipe meatballs in tomato sauce
    Adli recipe meatballs in tomato sauce
    Adli recipe meatballs in tomato sauce
    Adli recipe meatballs in tomato sauce
    Adli recipe meatballs in tomato sauce
    Adli recipe meatballs in tomato sauce
    Adli recipe meatballs in tomato sauce
    Adli recipe meatballs in tomato sauce
    Adli recipe meatballs in tomato sauce
    Adli recipe meatballs in tomato sauce
    Adli recipe meatballs in tomato sauce
    Adli recipe meatballs in tomato sauce
    Adli recipe meatballs in tomato sauce

    These meatballs in tomato sauce are the perfect quick and easy dinner. Juicy and tender homemade meatballs cooked in a simple rustic Italian-style tomato sauce. They're easy to make and only use ingredients from Aldi!

    Italian meatballs in tomato sauce in a pan

    These meatballs are so easy and quick enough to make on a weeknight, but they're special and cosy enough to make for a casual Sunday dinner too. Dry meatballs are a thing of the past with some simple tips and a gorgeous recipe. Cooking the meatballs in the sauce helps them stay moist and tender and infuses them with so much flavour.

    A great meatball consists of 2 crucial elements:

    • texture
    • flavour

    So, for these meatballs, we're using a mix of beef and pork. Pork brings so much flavour to the mix and some fat. The fat is crucial to keep the meatballs moist and for that rich flavour. The egg and some milk help to bind it all together.


    Quick & Easy Pork Meatballs
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    Jump to:
    • Ingredients needed for homemade meatballs
    • How to make meatballs in tomato sauce
    • Storing, freezing and reheating meatballs
    • Variations
    • What to serve with meatballs in tomato sauce
    • Recipe

    Aldi ingredients for italian meatballs and tomato sauce

    Ingredients needed for homemade meatballs

    • pork and beef mince mixed
    • egg
    • milk
    • fresh rosemary
    • dried oregano
    • Italian style herbs
    • pasta mix
    • Grana Padano (parmesan) cheese

    For the sauce

    • passata
    • red onion
    • tomato puree
    • garlic

    ground meat in a mixing bowl

    How to make meatballs in tomato sauce

    • Make the meatball mix, by placing the mince and add in the herbs, the egg and a splash of milk. Using your hands or a wooden spoon, gently mix and form into meatballs. The key to keeping the mince from going tough is being gentle when you roll the meatballs.
    • Using milk is the secret to getting juicy, moist meatballs every single time making them light and spongy.
    • The next step is mixing your meat mixture until the ingredients are just incorporated with your hands.  Full pieces of ground meat should still be visible.
    • Roll your meatballs with lightly oiled hands to prevent the meat from sticking to your fingers, while adding a little extra moisture into each meatball.

    meatballs browning in a pan

    • Heat some oil in a pan for browning the meatballs. We just fry them quickly to get colour on them and to form a golden crust and they finish cooking in the sauce. I used a nonstick skillet for this, but you can use a high sided regular skillet and make the sauce in it too.

    meatballs on a baking tray

    • Once the meatballs are browned all the way around remove them from the pan and set onto a baking tray. You may need to do this in batches to brown all the meatballs. This recipe makes 20 meatballs.
    • To make the sauce, heat some oil in a pan and soften the onion and garlic on medium heat. Add in some thyme and the tomato puree. Give it all a good stir and add in the passata. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for about 10 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through.

    Meatballs in rich tomato sauce on a table

    Storing, freezing and reheating meatballs

    You'll more than likely have leftover meatballs. This recipe makes 20, and they are filling. To freeze them, simply let them cool down completely in the sauce once they're cooked through. Divide the meatballs evenly between containers and spoon the sauce over top. The meatballs and tomato sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

    To reheat, defrost the meatballs in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a couple of hours and heat in the microwave until hot all the way through. Or, reheat in a pan on the hob (stove) until the meatballs are hot and the sauce is bubbling.

    Variations

    If you're really wanting to elevate these meatballs then you can make them as directed then cover with the shredded mozzarella (may I suggest the whole pack) and place under the grill for about 10 minutes until the cheese is melted, brown and bubbling.

    What to serve with meatballs in tomato sauce

    Let's be honest. We're all thinking the same thing. Giant tangles of steaming pasta noodles. But these meatballs would be amazing served with a big salad and a large loaf of crusty bread.

    More easy dinner recipes

    One-pan Lasagna

    Easy Baked Tortellini

    Baked Macaroni & Cheese

     

    Recipe

    Adli recipe meatballs in tomato sauce

    Italian Meatballs in Tomato Sauce Recipe

    These meatballs in tomato sauce are juicy and tender homemade meatballs cooked in a rustic Italian style tomato sauce.
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Easy Dinners
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Servings: 20 meatballs
    Save This RecipeSaved!
    Author: Deborah Rainford

    Ingredients

    • For the meatballs
    • 750 g minced beef & pork mix
    • 1 egg
    • 100 ml milk
    • 2 tablespoon dried oregano
    • 1 tablespoon dried basil
    • 3 teaspoons Italian pasta mix
    • 1 teaspoon Italian herb mix
    • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
    • 50 g Grana Padano grated
    • For the sauce
    • 1 red onion chopped
    • 4 cloves garlic minced
    • 2 tablespoons tomato puree
    • 1 carton passata
    Metric - US Customary

    Instructions

    • Make the meatball mix, by placing the mince in a large bowl. Add in the herbs, the egg, cheese and the milk. Using your hands or a wooden spoon, gently mix and form into meatballs.
    • The next step is mixing your meat mixture until the ingredients are just incorporated with your hands.  Full pieces of ground meat should still be visible. Roll the meatballs with lightly oiled hands to prevent the meat from sticking to your fingers, while adding a little extra moisture into each meatball.
    • Heat some oil in a pan for browning the meatballs. We just fry them quickly to get colour on them and to form a golden crust and they finish cooking in the sauce. I used a nonstick skillet for this, but you can use a high sided regular skillet and make the sauce in it too.
    • Once the meatballs are browned all the way around remove them from the pan and set onto a baking tray. You may need to do this in batches to brown all the meatballs. This recipe makes 20 meatballs.
    • To make the sauce, heat some oil in a pan and soften the onion and garlic on medium heat. Add in some thyme and the tomato puree. Give it all a good stir and add in the passata. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for about 10 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through.

    Notes

    *The meatball mixture should still be moist in consistency, but hold its shape when rolled into meatballs.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 117kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 72mg | Potassium: 144mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 60IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Tag Me @savvybites or tag #savvybites!

    THANKS SO MUCH FOR READING AND COOKING ALONG WITH ME! IF YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE OR HAVE A QUESTION, I’D LOVE IT IF YOU LEFT A COMMENT AND A RATING. YOU CAN ALSO FOLLOW ALONG ON PINTEREST, FACEBOOK AND  INSTAGRAM TO SEE WHAT WE’RE EATING, PINNING AND A LITTLE BEHIND THE SCENES TOO!

     

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Julia

      October 06, 2021 at 4:49 pm

      5 stars
      Such a great easy recipe! My family absolutely loved these. Will definitely be making these a lot over the winter! Thank you.

      Reply
      • Deborah Thompson

        October 11, 2021 at 10:27 am

        Love hearing this Julia! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and a review.

        Reply
    2. Dawn

      November 11, 2021 at 5:18 pm

      5 stars
      Such a quick recipe for a midweek dinner, went down well with family.

      Reply
      • Deborah Rainford

        November 12, 2021 at 11:23 am

        Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and a rating. It's so appreciated! Happy that everyone loved it.

        Reply
    3. Gina

      August 05, 2022 at 1:04 pm

      5 stars
      I make this recipe almost every week. The entire family loves it and that's not easy to do! Thanks!

      Reply
      • Deborah Rainford

        August 09, 2022 at 7:24 pm

        Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and a rating. It's much appreciated! 🙂

        Reply

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